Fisher County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fisher County
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The Fisher County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1886 |
| Named for | Samuel Rhoads Fisher |
| Seat | Roby |
| Largest city | Rotan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 902 sq mi (2,340 km2) |
| • Land | 899 sq mi (2,330 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7 km2) 0.3% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,672 |
| • Density | 4.0710/sq mi (1.5718/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Fisher County is a place in the state of Texas, USA. It is like a large district or area within the state. In 2020, about 3,672 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, where the county government is located, is Roby.
Fisher County was created in 1876 and officially started in 1886. It is named after Samuel Rhoads Fisher. He was an important person who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. He also served as the Secretary of the Navy for the Republic of Texas, which was Texas before it joined the United States. For a long time, Fisher County was a "dry county." This meant that selling alcohol was not allowed. Today, it is a "wet county," so alcohol sales are permitted.
Contents
History of Fisher County
The land that is now Fisher County has a long and interesting past.
Early Inhabitants
Around 10,000 BC, the first people lived here. These were Paleo-Indians, who were very early Native American groups. Later, other Native American tribes lived in the area. These included the Pawnee, Wichita, Waco, Lipan Apache, Kiowa, and Comanche tribes.
County Formation
In 1876, the Texas government officially created Fisher County. It was formed from parts of Bexar districts. The county was named to honor Samuel Rhoads Fisher.
Growth and Development
- In 1880, the first census counted 136 people living in the county.
- In 1881, a railway line was built through a town called Eskota. This helped the county grow.
- In 1885, the town of Fisher was officially registered. Swedish immigrants also started a community called Swedonia.
- In 1886, the town of North Roby was registered. Roby later became the county seat. There's a funny story that a dog named Bill Purp helped Roby win the election!
- By 1920, Fisher County was a top producer of wheat in Texas.
- In 1926, cotton became very important. Farmers produced 48,000 bales of cotton that year.
- In 1928, oil was discovered in the county, which brought new jobs and money.
- By 1970, the county's farm income was split between raising animals and growing crops.
Geography of Fisher County
Fisher County is located in a part of Texas known for its wide-open spaces.
Area and Water
The county covers a total area of about 902 square miles. Most of this is land, about 899 square miles. A small part, about 2.8 square miles, is covered by water.
Main Roads
Several important highways pass through Fisher County. These roads help people travel and transport goods.
U.S. Highway 180
State Highway 70
State Highway 92
Neighboring Counties
Fisher County shares borders with several other counties in Texas:
- Stonewall County (to the north)
- Jones County (to the east)
- Taylor County (to the southeast)
- Nolan County (to the south)
- Mitchell County (to the southwest)
- Scurry County (to the west)
- Kent County (to the northwest)
Population of Fisher County
The number of people living in Fisher County has changed over the years.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 136 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,996 | 2,102.9% | |
| 1900 | 2,708 | −9.6% | |
| 1910 | 12,596 | 365.1% | |
| 1920 | 11,009 | −12.6% | |
| 1930 | 13,563 | 23.2% | |
| 1940 | 12,932 | −4.7% | |
| 1950 | 11,023 | −14.8% | |
| 1960 | 7,865 | −28.6% | |
| 1970 | 6,344 | −19.3% | |
| 1980 | 5,891 | −7.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,842 | −17.8% | |
| 2000 | 4,344 | −10.3% | |
| 2010 | 3,974 | −8.5% | |
| 2020 | 3,672 | −7.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2000, there were 4,344 people living in Fisher County. By 2020, the population had decreased to 3,672 people. The county is mostly made up of White residents, with smaller numbers of Black, Native American, Asian, and other racial groups. A significant portion of the population is also of Hispanic or Latino background.
The average age in the county in 2000 was 43 years old. About 23.9% of the population was under 18 years old.
Towns and Communities
Fisher County has several towns and smaller communities.
Cities
- Hamlin (most of this city is actually in Jones County)
- Roby (This is the county seat, where the main county offices are.)
- Rotan
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities.
- Hobbs
- Longworth (This is where famous poker player Doyle Brunson was born.)
- McCauley
- Sylvester
Ghost Towns
These are towns that used to exist but are now mostly abandoned.
Education in Fisher County
Students in Fisher County attend schools in several different school districts.
School Districts
- Hamlin Independent School District
- Hermleigh Independent School District
- Roby Consolidated Independent School District
- Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District
- Rotan Independent School District
- Sweetwater Independent School District
- Trent Independent School District
The county is also part of the Western Texas College District. This means students can attend Western Texas College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Fisher para niños
